Together
by Riinuka
Summary: Re-written, and revised! Kunouku and Tsumeku are Sesshoumaru's twin children. What happens when Kunouku wishes his sister away? Includes story of Rin and Sesshoumaru. Warning! Do not read if you do not like sexual themes!
1. Default Chapter

Note - this entire story has been revised.  
  
Together - The Beginning  
  
The wind quietly blew upon a clearing in a forest, were lay a youkai with long, silvery blue hair. He had landed there, cast aside by a battle with an opponent. His wounds severe, he could not move, lest he further injure himself. This youkai went by the name Sesshoumaru, and was one of the most powerful youkai in the land.  
  
Sesshoumaru awoke to a sound near him. He opened his eyes, to find a little human girl kneeling beside him. 'What does this human want with me?' he wondered to himself. The girl noticed him looking at her, and ran off. He silently watched her leave.  
  
Hours later, she returned to find him slumped against a tree. "Um, hi." she said, timidly. She held out a leaf, covered in fruit, berries, and some  
  
dried meat, which he regarded questioningly. He watched her, expecting her to eat the food she had laid out. "Hey, I brought this for you, are you hungry?" she asked. He looked at the food, them back at her. "I don't eat human food." he replied bluntly. "Oh," she said. "Well, see you tomorrow." she called, as she ran off.  
  
The next evening, she returned to him, this time with some raw meat. She offered it to him, revealing her face. He could see it was covered with bruises, and she had a black eye. "What happened... to your face?" he asked her. "Um, Rin got in trouble, boys from the village caught Rin taking this from the village stores. Rin hopes you like it..." she answered. ".....um, are you a  
  
great youkai-sama?" she asked. "Yes, I am. I go by the name Sesshoumaru. Why... do you wish to know?" he replied. "Well, Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin wishes to bid you a good night, and will see you in the morning, hopefully." she called, walking off. Again, he regarded her silently as she disappeared. 'That human... is different from the others I have encountered. She doesn't seem bothered by my being a youkai... I had thought all humans hated and feared my kind...'  
  
As dawn approached, Sesshoumaru was once again awakened by the sound of Rin's footsteps, coming closer to where he rested. "Ohayo! Oh, Sesshoumaru- sama finished his dinner... let Rin take care of that." she said gleefully. She skipped over towards a nearby stream, and started to throw the remains of the meat into the river. A few moments later, Sesshoumaru was startled by a loud "Kyaaa!" He had heard a shrill scream, from Rin. He managed to get up, and followed her path . She had been confronted by three boys from her village, who had been observing her throwing the bones into the river.  
  
"Hey, you thief! Get over here and receive your punishment!" a tall, scruffy one said. "Yeah, you stupid orphan girl!" yelled another. Sesshoumaru watched this, from behind some bushes. His anger started to rise, but he did not know why. "That will teach you to steal food, you thief!" The third boy said, throwing a rock at her head. "Kyaaa!" she screeched, as the rock hit her. The scruffy one grabbed her, and started kicking at her ankles. "Ow, that hurts!" she sobbed. The boys started to laugh, while she cowered near the water. One approached her, about to kick her into the stream.  
  
"That's quite enough!" Sesshoumaru yelled, stepping out of the foliage. The boys turned to look at who had spoken. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin shouted, with tears flying from her face. She ran over to him, and peeked out from behind his yukata to look at the village boys. "Why are you torturing her? She has done no harm to you." he said sternly. "I-It's a Youkai! Run away!" The boys shouted, running back to the village while bumping into each other along the way. Sesshoumaru stared after them, and turned to Rin. "Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling down to look at her. "Rin is fine now, thanks to Sesshoumaru-sama!" she replied happily. He looked at her and remarked, "Well, if you don't object, I think you should come with me. There is no place for you here." A smile lit up her face, and she replied, "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama is so generous! Rin would gladly come!" She walked towards a broken down hut, where she retrieved some bundles of clothing and a futon. "Is this... where you lived?" he inquired. "Yep, Rin lived here, because no one in the village would even talk to Rin, just throw rocks and say mean words..." she replied dejectedly. She looked up at him with a sad look in her eyes, making him edge back. 'What...is this... pity...I feel?' he thought. "But, now someone has come that does not hate Rin!" she finished. She embraced him, leaving him surprised and confused. 'Why...does this girl care so much? Has she been so mistreated... that no one would even care for her...?' he wondered. He tried returning the gesture, a little clumsily. She giggled, making him even more confused. 'Eh?' he thought quietly.  
  
"Sesshoumaru-samaaaa!" It was early afternoon, and Rin had gone to a nearby meadow. They had been traveling for a few months now, resting where there was a convenient place to set camp. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin gasped, running up to him. "Guess where Rin has been?" she asked him. He allowed himself to smile slightly at her enthusiastic attitude, her eyes with a bright sparkle in them. "Rin found these," she held up a bundle of pretty purple flowers. "and thought these would make a great thing for Sesshoumaru-sama to have!" she said to him. "Here, lean down!" she asked, a mischievous smile on her face. "Let me put one....right here!" she exclaimed, placing a long flower over his pointed ear. "There! Now, Sesshoumaru-sama has a nice thing to wear in his pretty silver hair! Look, it matches the pattern on your sleeve!" She proceeded to compare the flower in his hair to the decoration on his yukata, beaming at her accomplishment. "Rin, come here for a minute." he called. "Let me see the flowers, and close your eyes." he said. She obediently turned around, hands over her eyes. He worked with the stems, intertwining them, forming a circle of petals. "All right, now turn around. But, keep your eyes closed," he added.  
  
"Aww, Rin wants to see!" she whined. He knelt down, and brushed her hair to the side, sweeping her ponytail over her shoulder. He stood up, to reveal a necklace of flowers on her neck. "Rin, you may look...Rin?" he said. She was busy humming a tune. "Ahem, Rin." he said again, shaking his head, and smiling again at her antics "Huh?" she replied, and looked down. " Kirei no hana!" she exclaimed happily. "Wow, look! It's a necklace for Rin, all to herself! Rin is so fortunate, she never got presents before!" He smiled, and sat down next to her. "Well, do you like traveling with me?" he asked "Oh, yes! Rin loves it very much! To be with Sesshoumaru-sama and find all these places..." She tilted her head to the side, and stared at him. "Sesshoumaru-sama, how come you were alone? Did no one want to travel with you? You must have been lonely." she said. He looked back at her, but didn't answer. Now that he thought about it, he was lonely... before Rin came along. Now, he seemed...content. This confused him very much, as he never realized he had felt alone... until now.  
  
"Rin? Where have you gone off to?" Sesshoumaru called. He had been looking for her for quite some time, when she didn't come back from a meadow. For almost seven years now, they had been together, traversing the countryside, but it was unusual for her to be gone even for this long. He looked throughout the meadow, accidentally ignoring his sense of smell. If he had been paying attention, he would have noticed her scent following him from about twenty yards away. Still, he called to her, until she crept up right behind him. "Ha!" she said, and jumped out from behind him. She grabbed his hand, and dragged him after her, giggling the whole time. He had almost jumped at her ambush, and had just about fallen over when she started to drag him away. "Haha, I got you, Sesshoumaru!" she shouted, running along with his hand in hers. "Rin, hold on! Hey, aren't we going to stop now?" he called ahead to her. She looked back, laughing. "Okay, I'm getting tired anyway."  
  
She stopped in a clearing, and gasped for breath. "Here, why don't you sit down." Sesshoumaru said to her, sitting to rest on a large stone. She took a seat on the stone, and turned to speak to him.  
  
"Phew, maybe I shouldn't do that so much..." she said, catching her breath. "Sesshoumaru, is it getting easier to sneak up on you... or is it just that I'm getting too fast for you?" she said, with a gleam in her eye. He turned to look at her, silent. He studied her for a moment, taking in her image. In just the short time to him that was really seven years, she had grown up. Her raven hair fell down to her waist, although she still tied it into a ponytail. Her eyes had grown darker, going from a light, twinkling hazel to a deep, dark brown. She had grown much taller, and had outgrown her many kimonos, asking him to please go find some for her quite a few times. How he was surprised, that a human girl, in such a short time, could have obtained such beauty that rivaled even that of some of the youkai hime in the land. Many times now, a human warrior would see her, and come to rescue her believing mistakenly that she had been kidnapped by Sesshoumaru. They had never attempted this when she was just a little girl, most of the time, they had just ignored her. But now.... her beauty caught the attention of many humans, youkai... and now,... even he himself had come to notice... "Um, Sesshoumaru?" she questioned. He had been gazing at her for a while, thinking about all this. "Eh?" he said, snapping out of it. He blushed slightly, a thing no one had ever witnessed before, until now. She started to giggle again. "Nani, you're blushing!" she said, blushing a little herself. This only made him blush redder, until she burst out laughing. 'Eh, was I really blushing at her...?' he wondered, embarrassed.  
  
The crackle of a fire could be heard from the distance, with a soft glow coming from a camp Sesshoumaru had set up for them. He had removed his armor, and set it aside on a nearby stone. With it was the Tenseiga, a sword he had not yet found a use for. It was a katana, yet it could not cut, nor kill. He had just had it at his belt, ignoring it in battle. Sesshoumaru had taken a seat on a log, next to Rin. They had been sitting in front of the fire, after eating their meal. He looked at her, and smiled gently. She seemed so content, sitting there with him. She moved slightly, shivering. 'Eh? Hm, it must be too cold out for her... I hadn't thought it would not be warm enough...' he thought. He moved towards her, and put his arm gently around her shoulders, to keep her warm. She snuggled in closer to him, and lay her head on his shoulder. Sighing, she closed her eyes. He felt his own eyes drooping, and decided to rest. They both fell asleep like that, resting in front of the fire.  
  
Early the next morning, Sesshoumaru was awakened by a soft hissing, as the embers of the fire burned out. 'I think I understand...why oyaji fell in love....with a human.' he said quietly. He looked down at Rin, her head fallen onto his shoulder, breathing lightly. He stroked her head softly, trying to wake her up. "Hey...., Rin.." he whispered in her ear. "Mmm...eh..?" she said sleepily. She peered up at him, not having completely woken up. He smiled down at her, stoking her hair. "Are you still tired?" he asked her. She nodded her head, and lowered it back to his shoulder. "You would like.. to rest some more?" he said. His question fell on deaf ears, she was almost asleep. 'Hm, she is  
  
still a little cold,' he thought. He picked up a blanket laying nearby on the ground, and wrapped it around them both. She moved over, until she was facing him. He put his other arm around her, and gently squeezed her. She rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. She took her arms, and put them around his neck. He seemed quite surprised, but lifted her gently on to his lap. She moved slightly, to get comfortable. He sat for a while, listening to her steady breathing, then lowered his head on top of hers. He softly nuzzled her hair, and drifted off to sleep again.  
  
They went on for a few more months like this, the bond between them  
  
growing more every day. One morning, Sesshoumaru awoke to find Rin coughing violently. "Rin... what is the matter? Are you ill?" he asked worriedly. "I don't feel so well... my chest hurts, and it's hard to breathe..." she coughed again, but this time, she spat out blood. "!" Sesshoumaru noticed this, and went over to her. "I think we need to get you to a ningen village. Maybe we can find some help there." He said . "Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have you camping outside last night, it must have been too cold. Come on, I can smell a village over this way." he called to her. They walked along for a while, Sesshoumaru in the lead. Rin started to cough again, and stopped on the path. "Rin, would you like for me to carry you?" Sesshoumaru said, turning around. Rin let out a cough, dripping blood on the road. 'Se-Sesshoumaru--" she said, weakly looking up, as she lost her balance. "!, Rin!" he shouted, as she fell. He rushed over to her, and caught her before she hit the ground. "Rin... what is wrong? Rin?!" he said. She lay in his arms, shivering, and unconscious. 'I need to get her to a place where she can rest..' he thought frantically.  
  
He leaped into the air, and surveyed the ground from above. He saw an  
  
abandoned hut, below in a clearing. He landed, and brought her inside. Setting her down, he to make a place for her to rest. He tried, not very successfully, to make up her bed for her. Cradling her head, he set her down to rest. He went over to the fire pit in the corner, and proceeded to start a flame.  
  
'Now, this can't be very hard... Rin usually eats rice with meat... well, meat... she might not be able to eat that, so I'll just take the juice.' He took out some wild rice, some meat, and a pot.  
  
"Now what?" he said, staring at the items in his hands. Well, she usually fill this thing with water..." he said, pouring water from a pack into the pot on the stove. "Now, I should wait until the water boils." he sat there, and stared at it for a full ten minutes. sweatdrop "Feh, this is taking too long. I could put the rice in now, I suppose." he dumped the rice into the pot, along with the meat. "There, now that shouldn't be so hard to cook, now should it." he said, a sense of pride swelling up at his accomplishment.  
  
The meal cooked, and he drained the broth out into a bowl. Deciding she needed some real meat, too, he picked out a few pieces from the pot and chucked them in. He rummaged around in the pack she had their possessions in, and found some hashi (chopsticks). He placed these on top of the bowl, and crept over to where she lay.  
  
She stirred a little in her sleep, and moaned. 'Hm, I don't think she would be able to eat right now...' he thought to himself. She coughed up another pool of blood, this one much bigger than before. 'Her blood....it smells of  
  
death... she is dying...' he realized sadly. 'But why...is it so strongly affecting me....' he wondered. 'Is it because... do I actually....love her?' he thought quietly. He didn't notice the tears forming slightly in his eyes, but he could feel them in his heart. He set the bowl down. "Rin..." he unintentionally said, out loud. She awoke at his voice, and quietly lay there, listening to him. He placed a clawed hand gently on her face, stroking it lightly. "Aishiteru...." he whispered to her, not realizing she was listening. "I-I don't want for you to die... I would be alone...again..." he whispered, and remembered her question from years before. ---"Sesshoumaru-sama, how come you were alone? Did no one want to travel with you? You must have been lonely."--- she had said to him. "Yes...I was lonely.." He said, now answering her question. "But... until now, I had been content. You had stayed with me, in spite of me being a youkai... you showed me how it felt to be accepted... and loved..." He lowered his head and continued, still unaware that she was listening. "But, now... how can I help... you have done all this for me, and all I may do is watch you die..." he said. "I-if you die, I will be alone again. I do not know how I can take that again, not after the way you have treated me, as a friend, and... maybe... even as one who loves...." he paused, not knowing why he was telling her this, when (as he thought) she could not hear him. "Rin... you are the first I have ever loved... and I had not realized it... until it was too late..." He stuttered angrily. "Now... how can you know... when my words fall on dying ears..." he whispered, finished.  
  
Rin lay there quietly, listening to Sesshoumaru the entire time. She had sensed that he wanted to keep her safe, to protect her, and had thought he might have loved her. She knew that she loved him, but was not sure that he returned her feelings. Once she had listened...she knew. She felt her energy slipping away slowly, feeling helpless. The least she could do...was acknowledge his words. She moved slightly, under his hand. He noticed that she was awake, and leaned over to gently lift her up. He brought her to him, softly nuzzling her ear. "Rin... you.. were awake..?" he asked quietly. She nodded, and leaned towards his pointed ear. "A-aishiteru.." she whispered, the words barely making it past her lips. She relaxed into his embrace, and looked up at him. He looked at her eyes, now brimming with tears. "So do I..." he replied. She smiled weakly, put a hand up to his shoulder, and leaned forward. He brought her closer to him, and she put her hands weakly around his neck. She looked up at him, watching as a tear escaped and ran across one of the lines on his cheek. She leaned closer to him, pulling them together. She brushed her lips against his, closing her eyes. He pulled her closer, and met her. He could feel her heartbeat, weak and fast against his chest. He brought his arms closer together, letting her lean slightly on him. He felt her hands, cold and trembling, on his back as she gently stroked him. She intertwined her delicate fingers within his hair, and leaned against him. He could feel her falter, her lips trembling as she began to lose the last of her strength. He brought his tongue into her mouth, tasting the blood that had been causing her so much pain. She moaned  
  
contentedly, as he moved his tongue slowly along hers, feeling a wave of pleasure engulf her body as he did. She shivered, feeling herself slipping away. He moved back, and watched as her head slowly relaxed on his chest. Her hands, a moment ago stroking him tenderly, were now limp, tangled in a few strands of his hair. She let out one final breath, and let herself fall onto him. He brought his hands around, taking her head gently into his arms. He lay her down, resting her on the bed. His face was overshadowed, and the only thing noticeable were the tears streaming fast down his face. He shuddered slightly, letting himself fall into his emotions. He sat there quietly, looking at the one who, only a few moments earlier, had embraced him. The one who had loved him, and shown her affection, one last time, for him. He sat there, and let the tears run down his face, sadly thinking about the only one whom he had loved, and who would love him.  
  
It was deep twighlight when Sesshoumaru left the hut. He jumped into the night, overcome by grief. Something pulled at him, drawing him to the place  
  
where they had spent camping. He had left all his armor there, feeling no need for it, including the sword. But now, it was the sword that plagued his mind, and drew him back. It called to him, but he did not know why. As he sped through the night, tears flew off his face, hidden by his hair. He disappeared over the treetops, silently moving through the darkness.  
  
He landed at the campsite, and sniffed the embers in the air. The fire had long since gone out, but the scent lingered still in the air. Drawn to his armor, he looked at the sword. It seemed to glow with an eerie light, and as he picked it up, it surged with power. "Tenseiga..." Then, he knew. This sword... could heal. It had the power to bring back the lives of the lost. It was no  
  
wonder it was of no use to him, before Rin had come. What would a youkai need, with a sword that could not kill opponents, but would only heal? Now, he finally understood why the sword had called to him. He jumped into the night once more, back towards the hut where Rin lay. 'Rin...I'm coming' he said to himself as he flew high into the darkness.  
  
He entered the hut, and looked over at Rin's still form. He looked at the sword, then back at her. He knelt down, resting his head to her chest. 'No heartbeat...' he thought. "Rin... just hang on. I think... I can bring you back." he said, getting up. He unsheathed the sword, it's blade glowing brightly against the darkness. Then, he noticed something. Above Rin's body, small youkai danced around a transparent sphere of light. "That's... her soul.." he wondered aloud. The little youkai were dragging the soul upward, jerking it from within her. "The soul....takers?... to the next life..." With each pull, he could see her eyes flutter. They opened slightly, and he could see only pools of empty, dark brown. One more pull sent the last flicker of light out from within her eyes, and they went blank. The youkai started to drag Rin's soul, now free from her body, upwards. Sesshoumaru took the sword, and sliced a path of light through them, being careful not to hit the sphere. The youkai fell to pieces, shriveled, and disappeared. The sword lost its glow, and took the form of a rusty katana blade. "Tenseiga..." he whispered, looking in awe at the blade. Then he looked up. The sphere was growing, pulsing. Rin's form slowly rose into the air, and the soul seeped back into her body. She drifted back down, into Sesshoumaru's now outstretched arms. She moved slightly, opening her eyes. Slowly, she raised a hand to his face, following the path of tears down across the stripes. "Sesshoumaru...why.. what's wrong..?" she asked quietly. 'I should leave her believing she was asleep,' he decided. She did, however, know of her death, and was confused. "Sesshoumaru... what happened, I was with you, and then, I left. Did I....die...?" she asked him. He nodded his head, but looked away from her. "Sesshoumaru..." she whispered. "I'm so sorry....for leaving you alone..." she looked at him, and sighed quietly. "I-it's quite all right, Rin..." he said back, still not looking at her. "Please... don't look away, there is no reason to be upset, is there?" she asked timidly. He glanced at her, out of the corner of his eye, and turned to her. There was a single tear, glistening on her face. He stared at it for a moment, making Rin blush. "Rin....why are you..." he said, putting a hand to her face. She didn't answer, just looked back at him, still blushing slightly. "I'm sorry." she whispered, barely loud enough to hear. "Rin, I told you, it is all right." he said gently to her, moving his hand up to her ear. He sat her up on his lap, and embraced her. She hugged him back, and rested her head atop his shoulder. She snuggled into his hair, breathing in his scent. He took her by the shoulders, and held her up before him. "Everything should be fine now, Rin." She trembled a little in under his hands as he said this, which he noticed with surprise. "Rin, are you cold?" he asked her, ashamed at forgetting about her being comfortable in this weather. "A little, but it's going to warm up soon, the dawn is almost here." she said. "Well, you haven't had any sleep all night, so let's have you get some rest." he replied.  
  
Looking around, he noticed some extra futon blankets over in a corner. He walked over and picked them up, intending on making her bed warmer for her. She followed, and took some of them from him, offering to help. "Here... let me take that..." she said. "That may be a good idea, I'm not exactly sure how to make a bed..." he said to her, sheepishly. They knelt down, and started spreading the blankets onto the bed roll. Sesshoumaru turned away to adjust a corner, giving Rin an idea. She slowly raised the blanket up with her hands, making sure he wasn't looking. Just as he heard a noise and sat up, she threw it over his head. "Eh?!" he said, "Mfff!" his speech muffled, he tried to throw off the cover. She wrapped her arms around him, and pushed him over, causing them both to fall onto the bed. He finally got the cover off his head, and glared mischievously at Rin, who was lying on top of him with the blanket. He shifted, and grabbed another cover off the pile. Noticing this, she giggled nervously. Getting off him, she ran with her blanket in her hand trailing behind her. He retrieved his blanket, and followed after her. "Kyaaa!" she screeched, looking as he was about to catch up to her. Using the blanket, he caught her around the waist, and proceeded to pick her up. Heart pounding, she kicked at the air in vain. She started to laugh, as he tickled her. She shifted in his arms, expecting to squirm out. Her wild struggles almost made her drop him, so he tightened his grasp on her. He growled, at first softly, and then a deep rumble. He tried to keep a hold of her, causing him to stagger around off balance. Just as he regained his stance, she shifted, accidentally kicking at his ankle. She looked up in surprise as they went flying, she didn't realize she had tripped him. "Ahh.." she said, right before they hit the ground. She landed on the bed, a split second before Sesshoumaru came down on top of her. She gasped, as he knocked the wind out of her, and raised her head a little. "Rin... are you all right?" He asked, raising himself on his arms. He looked up, and saw her face about two inches away from his own. She stared at him, a little red from the excitement. "U-huh..." she stammered, blushing profusely. He looked at her worriedly, taking his hand to her cheek. He did not know what was wrong, until he noticed something. He could feel her heart against his chest, beating rapidly. "Oh, u-um sorry....I must have tripped you...." she stuttered, heart beating a mile a minute, and sweat forming on her neck. He was lying on top of her, pressing down, so close to her, and she was quickly getting excited by the idea. He again started to growl, but this time it was a quiet one, from deep inside his throat.  
  
Suddenly, she wanted to touch him all over, to hold him close to her. His eyes narrowed, becoming gold slits. He took his other hand, and slowly moved it up her arm. Her skin prickled with electric energy, as he ran his claws gently up and onto her shoulder. They stopped, just above the neckline of her kimono. She shifted, snagging one of his claws on the material. He glanced at it, and she thought she saw the corner of his mouth turn slightly upward. She moved again, intentionally making his claw move lower, the cloth of her kimono being dragged down with it. She could distinctly see a fang now, just peeking out of the corner of his mouth. He glanced at her, and lowered his head down. She felt a sharp twinge, as he nipped at the base of her neck with his fang. Her skin was on fire, her head light with every time he touched her. She moved her own hands up, maneuvering them above his arms. She put them around him, and pulled herself up slowly, drawing him lower at the same time. He moved, nibbling hungrily at her neckline, a low growl echoing from him with every nip. She moaned, shivering in pleasure at his touch. He looked up at her, eyes deep in thought. They echoed a feeling, a hunger they both shared. She looked back, her eyes locked on his. She knew what he wanted, what that look in his eyes was for. She got an adrenaline rush at the thought of it, her head spinning as he looked into her eyes. It was there, as plain as day. "Aishiteru," she whispered, looking at him. "Aishiteru," he replied, his eyes softening, as he looked back to her. She nodded her head slightly, and gazed at him. That had been only thing holding him back, and his eyes questioned her. 'Had he seen right? May he go further?' they said. She nodded, again, this time quicker. She leaned close to him, and whispered in his ear: "Let.... me....love you.." she said, heart fluttering. Had she said that? she thought quikly, but she had no time to reconsider. As soon as she had said it, he was on her, running his hands around her waist, reaching behind her. He nuzzled her neck, and started to untie her obi from around her waist. Once that was accomplished, he threw it aside. She took her hands from around his neck, and reached for the string of his yukata. She pulled at it, but it was stuck. She stared, helplessly, looking at the piece of cord clenched in her hands.  
  
Sesshoumaru had noticed this. He rolled over onto his side, and brought his hands around hers. He craned his head towards the cord, baring his fangs. With one swift movement, he bit apart the cord, handing the pieces back to Rin. She ripped at them, and removed his yukata. She ran her hands delicately over his chest, tracing her fingers over the muscles. He growled, and put his arms around her once again. She moved within his embrace, feeling his arms move more tightly around her. He moved towards her, and nibbled at her lip. She opened her mouth a tiny bit, letting him bite her bottom lip. He drew blood, and licked it off hungrily, but slowly. He let his tongue slide into her mouth, gently rubbing her teeth. She bit down softly, making him squirm. His hands moved slowly up her back, sending shivers up her spine. He took one hand, and brought it between them. He grabbed her kimono lining, and yanked at the material. Shifting a little, she put her arms around his waist, drawing them closer together. She reached for the cord on his zubon, untying it quickly. He grabbed the blanket, and threw it over them. Tucking it in under her, he reached under her back. She finished untying the cord, and placed his zubon off to the side. A few seconds later, her kimono was cast into the air, and fell in a heap on top.  
  
Sesshoumaru lay back on top of her, under the blanket. Her hands again moved around him, pressing his body firmly against her own. He growled, thoroughly enjoying her warmth under the covers. She reached down, arousing him. His veins burned, electrified energy running through them. His body was aching for her touch, it was intoxicating. She stroked him again, and he could contain himself no further. "Rin... are you ready...?" he said breathlessly into her ear. "Hai...go ahead..." she replied, closing her eyes. He shifted, and thrust himself slowly inside of her, sending sparks all through her body. She murmured in his ear, seduced by the feelings he was giving her. He became excited, pushing deeper. If he didn't, he would surely explode from his burden. She moaned, a deep sound from within her throat. He silenced her, covering her lips with his own. Rushing his tongue through her mouth, he could think no more. Instinct took over, every muscle and fiber pulsing with animal like movements. He took his hands, and grasped her around the shoulders. Instinct told him to restrain her, while he pushed deeper still inside. She gasped softly, feeling him move into her. She wanted him to stay there, to never stop. She wanted this, and yet the feelings felt so strange to her. She liked them, liked the way he was making her feel. She opened her eyes to look at him, running her hands up his shoulders. His focus moved to her, and he smiled.  
  
He gently cradled her head in his arms, aware that he was almost done. With one final push, he reached deep enough inside. Shuddering, he relaxed as his seed flowed inside of her. She stirred, startled by the sudden warmth radiating from him. She nuzzled her head against his neck, relaxing. They lay like that for some time, each resting in the other's arms. Soon after, Rin drifted off to sleep. While she slept, Sesshoumaru slowly brought himself from within her. He crept out from under the blanket, and got dressed. He looked around, and noticed the bowl of broth he had made for her. Deciding she would be hungry after this, he heated it up in a pot. Rin awoke to the scent of meat cooking, as he lifted it off the fire pit. She, too, crawled from the bed, and put her kimono on. He warmly embraced her, offering a now steaming bowl of gyu-niku miso soup. She gladly took it, and began to eat. Once their meal was finished, she proceeded to clean up the cooking ware. "Rin? So, how is my attempt at cooking?" he asked her, laughing. "I think it's pretty good!" she replied, smiling happily. They packed up the futon, and stepped out into the open. It was early morning, and the sun had just risen. Rin took a step forward, and took in the scent of some fresh flowers growing nearby. She stooped to pick one up, enjoying the scent. Walking back to Sesshoumaru, she gently placed it over his ear, like many years before. He took her in his arms, and met her with a kiss. He held her for a minute, inhaling her scent. He knelt down, and cut a bushel of flowers with a claw. "Rin... close your eyes..." he said, turning to her. She obeyed, and wondered what he was doing. Once again, he took the flowers and formed a circle. He gently placed it around her neck, and stepped back.  
  
"Rin?" he said quietly. She opened her eyes, looked down, and smiled. Looking back up at him, she ran into his arms and gave him a bear hug. She lifted her head and gave him a soft kiss. "Sesshoumaru.." she whispered, as they walked away into the morning sun. "Thank you.... for letting me love you." she finished, as they disappeared.  
  
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Note - again, this story has been re-written and re-ordered.  
  
Reviews? I feel bad for not updating in so long...o0  
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((you will review, right?)) 


	2. A suspicious visitor, and an annoying fr...

Together: An Unexpected Acquaintance  
  
The sun rose on a distant field of flowers, and two figures came into view. One was a black-haired young lady, by the name of Rin. The other, a youkai lord, was Sesshoumaru. The lord of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru had discovered Rin living in a village as an orphan, and took her to travel with him. Over time, they  
  
formed a friendship, and eventually grew to love one another. Rin was currently picking a pretty arrangement of flowers, slipping a select few over Sesshoumaru's pointed ear. She walked over to him, carrying a bundle, and smiled happily at him.  
  
"Sesshoumaru, sit down for a minute. You don't have to stand up all the time..." she said, laying the flowers on a rock next to him. "Wow, it's such a nice day...I'm a little sleepy..." Sitting down, she let herself fall backwards into the field, and lay there staring at the sky. She soon fell asleep, a breeze  
  
gently blowing her hair into her face. Sesshoumaru looked at her as the wind blew her ponytail over her nose, watching as she moved a bit. She shifted again, but her hair still tickled her. He watched in amusement as she sneezed, sending a few nearby blossoms into the air. He laughed softly, and came to where she lay. Moving her hair out of the way, he stroked the edge of her face with one claw.  
  
He could remember, when long ago, his own father had fell in love with a human. A great youkai lord, Inu Taisho had taken a youkai warrior as a mate. Sesshoumaru's own mother was a beautiful youkai, and the only thing separating her from any of the hime of the land was her long, silver hair. He shared his mother's hair, and fingered his own silvery-blue mane now, as he remembered her. But, she had fallen ill, he recalled. He sadly remembered having to help his father burn her in a funeral pyre, her long hair now turned to silver wisps  
  
blazing with fire. As he stared as his mother burning, a part of him had died. His heart became cold and emotionless. Without his mother, he never felt loved as anyone should, human or youkai. But now... the feelings had returned. She....Rin.... had brought them back. He once believed that a human could not bring back those feelings. Now... he understood.  
  
He dwelled on his past again, remembering. His father had suffered, but eventually found a new source of happiness. One day, he had gone out to hunt. When he returned, he brought with him a miko that had been wounded in a battle against a youkai. He had cared for her, tending for her wounds. He developed a bond with this human, and fell in love with her.  
Sesshoumaru had loathed his father from that point onward, he couldn't understand how his father could become so weak. He had hated humans ever after, believing none were fit to live. They were the cause of his father becoming so weak, for him to take a human for a mate. So, all humans he came across were killed. Even worse, his father's new mate bore him a child. The ultimate disgrace, this hanyou Inuyasha. He swore he would kill all hanyou too, including his own brother. Inuyasha was too much of a reminder of his father's weakness, Sesshoumaru could not let him stay alive.  
  
But... Inuyasha had been betrayed by a human... a miko called Kikyou.  
  
Sesshoumaru felt pity towards his hanyou sibling, and refrained from killing him for fifty years. At the beginning of this ceasefire, Inuyasha had been pinned to a tree which the miko had banished him to. Somehow, they had been led to believe that the other betrayed them. Interestingly enough, it was the miko's reincarnation from the future that freed him. Sesshoumaru had watched with interest, as his younger brother clashed tempers with this girl, Kagome, time and time again. He felt a sense of peace, watching his brother finally accepted by someone.  
  
Although he hated Inuyasha at first, he realized that it wasn't his fault that he was a hanyou. He had silently watched as his brother was rejected time and time again from the village. The place where he and his mother had resided in. Hiding, he had watched in silence as Inuyasha's mother was killed by fellow  
  
villagers. He knew why she was slayed, it was because of Inuyasha. He then realized that his brother was cast out by not just youkai, like himself, but by humans as well. He took pity on him, and left him small bundles of food for him to live on. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had taken residence in the nearby forest, which came to be named after him. Sesshoumaru looked on, as his brother grew from a small little hanyou child, to an exceptional warrior. It reminded him of losing his own mother, and growing up alone in much the same way. But, their reasons for being alone were different. Sesshoumaru chose to live a solitary life, while Inuyasha was an outcast and was forced to live alone.  
  
It was almost unbelievable when the village priestess, Kikyou, had befriended him. Inuyasha, not used to having any connection with humans at all, took her gesture lightly. He was on guard all the time, warily watching her bow, in case she was deceiving him. He felt she was tricking him, and waited for her to shoot at him. She came into possession of the Shikon no Tama, a powerful jewel that would grant the desires of any being that carried it. That jewel was entrusted to her, so she could purify it. She came upon a man one day, Onigumo. Burnt  
  
badly beyond movement, she cared for him until he mysteriously vanished. He had held desires for her, and gave his body to youkai, sacrificing himself in order to obtain her. The youkai Naraku emerged, and watched Kikyou and Inuyasha jealously. Sesshoumaru remembered Naraku spitefully, and recalled how he had tried to assist him. It had been a trap, and had almost cost him his life a few times. Looking back now, he remembered how Naraku had taken Inuyasha's form, and stolen the jewel from Kikyou. She knew that Inuyasha wanted the jewel to become a full youkai, but did not expect him to steal it. Naraku took advantage of this, and delivered a fatal wound to her, as the hanyou she had trusted. Naraku then took the form of Kikyou, and hunted down Inuyasha. Inuyasha mistakenly believed his instincts, which told him she would betray him. He rushed to a temple, and grabbed the jewel to flee. The real Kikyou appeared, the wound delivered by  
  
Naraku sapping her strength. What she knew, was that 'Inuyasha' had attacked her, and was now escaping with the Shikon no Tama.  
  
Using the last of her strength, she shot an arrow, pinning him to a tree, where he fell into a deep trance. She died later that day, and took the jewel with her into the pyre. Fifty years went by, and then the jewel suddenly resurfaced.  
  
Kagome, the reincarnated being of Kikyou, had fallen back in time, and the jewel had been drawn out from inside her body. Naraku had come back, and had tried many times to take the jewel. It had become shattered, and the shards had scattered over the land. It was Naraku who had given Sesshoumaru a human arm with a jewel shard, to wield the blade Tetsusaiga, which had come into his brother's possession after a visit to their father's grave.  
  
Suddenly, he was drawn out of his memories by a hand on top of his own. Rin had woken up, to find Sesshoumaru sitting in the field next to her, gently stroking her face. She watched as he sat there thinking, and wondered what could make him stare off into space like that. She laughed, when he jumped at her touch. She sat up, giggling, and brushed her hair off her face. "Hey Sesshoumaru? What were you doing? You looked like you had eaten something that disagreed with you," she said, giggling at the thought. "Well... I was... um.." he stammered, looking a little embarrassed. He tried regaining his composure, only to blush slightly. She burst out laughing, and stood up. "Okay, maybe I don't want to know..." she said, smiling. "Hey, what do you want me to cook for dinner? Is there any rice left in our supplies?" she asked, changing the subject. "No, but I'm arranging for dinner, so don't worry." he replied, standing up. "Oh, all right then. Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go take a bath in the onsen." she  
  
said, and gathered some flowers off the ground. "Hm, these will make my hair smell nice..." she said, walking off. He watched her, and focused his mind on the task ahead. Now, he had cooked before, it wasn't very hard. But, he wanted to impress her, so he went to gather some nice things for their meal.  
Rin stepped out of the onsen, and put her kimono back on. Shaking out her hair, she selected a pretty purple flower to place in it. She started back towards the camp, not noticing the pair of eyes that watched her from the bushes a few feet away.  
  
Sesshoumaru set down a bushel of rice, and dumped it into the pot along with some vegetables. Watching the pot carefully, he added pieces of sashimi, until the water boiled. Inhaling the scent of the fish, he stirred the tempura, holding it over the fire pit. He brought his nose up into the wind, and noticed Rin's scent getting stronger. "She must be coming back from her bath," he thought, quickly spooning out the tempura into two bowls. He put his nose to the wind again, sniffing. "What.... is that?" he commented, noticing a strange scent approaching Rin's. He quickly got up, wondering whose scent was following her. Rin turned around, noticing a sound in the trees behind her. She thought, for a second, that she saw the edge of a black piece of cloth disappear around a tree. Dismissing it, she kept walking. A few minutes later, she was startled by a hand resting on her shoulder. She looked down, expecting to see Sesshoumaru's clawed hand. She turned around, but did not find Sesshoumaru standing behind her. Sesshoumaru rushed frantically through the forest, and stopped in front of a clearing. There was Rin, with a hand on her shoulder coming out of the shadows. He took in the owner's scent, and growled loudly.  
  
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Note - this entire story has been revised   
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((you will will review, right?)) 


	3. The mysterious houshi

Note - this story has been revised   
  
Refresher  
  
Sesshoumaru rushed frantically through the forest, and stopped in front of a clearing. There was Rin, with a hand on her shoulder coming out of the shadows. He took in the owner's scent, and growled loudly.  
  
Chapter 3 - The Mysterious Stranger  
  
Rin screeched in surprise, and tore away from her pursuer. She ran over to Sesshoumaru, and hugged him fearfully. He put his arms protectively around his mate, and growled a warning to the intruder. "Well, well! Long time no see, Sesshoumaru! And who might your companion be....Rin?! Is that really you? My, my, how the years have flown by!" he said, stepping out of the shadows. Sesshoumaru stared at who was none other than........MIROKU?! (I have officially gone insane. If you don't like it, then review. I'll try  
  
anything to get reviews....)(current # of reviews: 7) "Wh-who is..." Rin said to herself, looking at the stranger in houshi clothing. She walked towards him, a puzzled look on her face. "H-have we met?" she asked, uncertainly. "Why yes, and now that I see you, I observe that the years have not only changed your age. Your beauty has grown quite considerably..." he said, casually placing a hand to Rin's bottom. "E-excuse me!" she said, slapping him into the nearest tree. "And her strength.. too...." he murmured, placing a hand to the fresh lump on his head. He looked up, startled by a shadow that had suddenly appeared over him. Sesshoumaru loomed over him, growling. "First of all, what gave you the authority to scare my companion in such a manner; and second, how dare you treat her in such a way!" he spat, glaring at the monk. "Hey, calm down...it.. was only.. um.. A joke! Yeah, a joke!" he said nervously. 'Yeah, a joke. I've seen him 'joke with the ones called Kagome and Sango, and he has received the same treatment from them as Rin gave him just now.' Sesshoumaru thought, sarcastically. This excuse only riled him further, wearing away at his patience. "State your business, unless your 'joke' was your only purpose for being here." he said icily, anger lacing his voice. "Hm. Well, you two don't seemed to be so amused..." Miroku said, standing up, and dusting himself off. "Well, Rin... it was nice to see you after so long." he said, stepping towards her. He didn't notice the menacing glare Sesshoumaru gave him, as he approached Rin. "This guy seems suspicious.." she whispered, looking worriedly at Sesshoumaru. She didn't like the way this monk had been so 'friendly' with her. "Well, I think I know of a way we can fix that..." the monk replied, overhearing her statement. He came closer, a smile on his face. Sesshoumaru tensed, and growled loudly. "If you would be so kind as to come with me, maybe you would consider... bearing me a child?" he finished, a smirk on his face. "Eek, no way...anata wa hentai houshi!" she replied angrily, widening the distance between them considerably. Miroku looked over at the youkai lord, but didn't see where he had went. He heard a sound behind him, and went pale. "Aargh, how DARE you talk to her that way! Have you NO MORAL DIGNITY!?" The  
  
youkai yelled, and rushed at the monk. Miroku stared at Sesshoumaru's outstretched hand, and saw that the claws on it had turned a bright, poisonous green. He jumped out of the way, falling to the ground. "H-hey, I didn't mean it, it was only another joke...!" he said, shielding himself as Sesshoumaru came over to him. He opened his eyes and gasped in surprise, as he was lifted off the ground by his collar. "You...go now, before I change my mind, and FEED YOU TO WHATEVER YOUKAI THAT I CAN SUMMON HERE!!!" the enraged youkai-lord barked, throwing a frightened Miroku to the ground. The monk crawled back a few feet, before getting up and retreating. Sesshoumaru turned around, and looked at Rin. "Are you alright?" he asked, anger still in his voice. "Yeah, sheesh, that guy was creepy..." she replied, coming over to him. She took his hand to calm him down, but cried out suddenly. Bringing her hand up, she saw burn marks across it. "Huh?...." she said, staring at her hand. She looked at his hand, and noticed green smoke coming from his claws. "Rin... I'm sorry, let me see that...." he said, taking her hand. She flinched, expecting his touch to burn her again, but was surprised when it didn't. Instead, it felt like something was tickling her. She looked, and saw that he was running his claws gently around in circles on her hand. "Hey, that tickles..." she giggled, trying to pull her hand away. He growled softly, and tickled her wrist, right below her palm. He glanced at her, and smiled when she started to laugh. "Come on, that really tickles!" she murmured, but she really didn't mind that much. She liked it when he played games with her, especially if it got him out of a bad mood. She relaxed, and fell quiet. If she kept still, she could trick him. He fell for it, and looked at her worriedly. "Rin? What's wrong?" he said, dropping her hand. This was exactly what she was waiting for him to do. She tackled him from behind, tickling him on the neck below his ears. He tried unsuccessfully to escape, but in the end he sat down on the ground, and let her tickle him. "Okay, okay. You win, now stop it, please!" he said, shifting around. She put her arms around his neck, resting on his back. This gave him an idea. He slowly got up, until she was hanging on by her arms. He jumped high into the air, above the tree tops, and landed on a branch. She had almost fell off when he did this, and clung to him nervously. "Hey, did you have to that?" she said, looking down at the branch nervously. "Why, I was merely getting some exercise, that's all," he replied innocently, smirking back at her. "Well, could we get down? I'm starting to slip..." she said, looking a little nervous. "Oh? Well, come here, then." He slid her off his back, and scooped her up into his arms. He jumped back down to the ground, and looked at her. She glared at him, but he noticed her eyes told otherwise. He set her down, and embraced her reassuringly. She hugged him back, enjoying the warmth from his arms. "Come on, we have to get back. I have a little surprise waiting for you back at our camp..." he said, nuzzling her hair. He picked her up, and traveled through the treetops back towards the field. "Oh, wow! Sesshoumaru, you made all this, just for us?" Rin looked in awe at the meal set before her, the scent of it overwhelming. There was tempura, sashimi slices, miso soup, and many other little dishes, set out on a blanket in the meadow. "Go on, try something. I need an opinion on my cooking skills." Sesshoumaru said, holding up some chopsticks with a piece of meat in them. He waved it in front of her nose, tempting her. She tried to take the chopsticks from him, but he pulled them out of reach. "Uh, come on now, open up." he teased, while she glared at him. He gently placed the meat inside her mouth, and tapped her nose with a chopstick. "Well?" he asked, once she was done. "Mm, this is really good! I didn't know you could cook this well!" she said, reaching once again for the chopsticks. "Neither did I, until a few days ago." he said, again holding them just out of reach. They finished their meal, and cleared away the remains. By now, the sun was starting to set, and the sky was filled with orange and yellow streaks. "Hm, I think I'll go take a bath." Sesshoumaru said, getting up. "Are you going to be all right here for a while?" he asked, looking back at her. "Sure, go ahead." she replied, cleaning up the last of the dishes. As soon as he had disappeared, Rin silently crept after him. She loved the look on his face when she disturbed him, it made him really annoyed. She came up to where he was, and hid in some bushes to wait. Just as she thought, he was using a mixture of oils with such a strong smell, he wouldn't be able to detect her scent. She watched him for a while, admiring his form as he washed his arms and chest. Finally, she crept out of the bushes, behind him. Being careful not to make any noise, she crept up to where he was standing. Just as he heard a noise, she put her hands onto his shoulders. He turned his head to look at who it was, a startled expression on his face. "Hm? Oh, it's you, Rin... you really shouldn't do that, I couldn't smell you from over there..." he said, calmly  
  
looking at her. "Well, maybe you if you didn't saturate your hair with oil, you could smell me coming..." she said, rubbing his shoulders slightly. He sighed slightly, relaxing under her touch. "Hm... that feels nice...." he said to himself, sitting down in the water. "May I join you?" she asked, stroking his neck lightly with her fingers. "If you want to..." he said, leaning his head back a little, eyes closed. She slipped her kimono off, and slid into the water next to him. "Hm, it seems like the  
  
water is warmer in the evening..." she whispered, laying her head onto his shoulder. He put his arm gently around her, and nuzzled the side of her head affectionately. He stroked the side of her shoulder with a claw, enjoying the shiver it sent through her. Pulling her closer to him, he growled very softly. She closed her eyes, shifting a little to get more comfortable in the water. He put his other arm on her head, running his claws through her wet hair. She brought one hand up to rest on his chest, just above his heart. She lay her head down, listening to its rhythm. Kissing the top of her head gently, he put both arms around her waist, drawing her to him in the water. He brushed his lips  
  
against her forehead, waiting for a response. She moved herself closer to him, and kissed him swiftly. Moving up a little, she put her arms around his neck. He nipped her lip, making her mouth open slightly. He brought his tongue inside over hers, running it over her teeth. She moaned, electric shocks going through her every time he moved. He moaned back, and made her roll over onto her back. Her head barely above the water, she sighed as he licked the nape of her neck. He found a tender spot on her shoulder, and attacked it with his fangs. She  
  
moved her hands, intertwining them in his wet, silver hair. "Hey... Sesshoumaru...?" she asked, running her fingers over his ear. "Hm..?" he replied, lifting his head up from her shoulder to look at her. "Hey.. these  
  
rocks in the onsen... are hurting my back a little... do you think we could go back to the camp...?" she asked, playing with a strand of hair. "...All right..." he said, nipping her once more. He raised himself up, lifting her up with him, and retrieved their clothes.  
  
Draping his yukata loosely over the both of them, and carrying her kimono, he made his way back to the camp. He started a fire, and watched as Rin crawled into her futon. Moving over, she beckoned for him to follow. He slid into the bed beside her, and slipped his arms around her waist. Moving on top of her, he drove himself inside her once again. She sighed, a little surprised at how quickly he had moved into her, and lay her head onto the pillow. They rested for a while, Sesshoumaru shifting once to get comfortable. He rolled over partly onto his side, and brought her with him. She sighed again, sleepily. As the last streaks of the sun disappeared over the horizon, their breathing quieted, both falling into a deep sleep.  
  
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Well, that's all for now. Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((You will review, right?)) 


	4. Ending

This chapter has been revised. Please see the footnote on chapter 8 of this story for more information.   
  
Chapter 4 - A Few Years Later  
  
"Hey!! Wait up, Tsumeku!!" a voice called. A girl was running through the forest, followed closely by a boy. Both had strangely pale hair, the girl having a lighter shade. Turning to look at her pursuer, the girl smiled, eyes glinting in the setting sun.  
  
"You'll have to catch me first..." she laughed. A wakizashi flashed at the boy's side, as he drew it. Quickly gaining speed, he slashed at the forest in front of her, trapping her in a ring of fallen trees. She stared at him in shock for a few seconds, then slowly started to smile. Coming within a few inches of him, she sped right past, escaping behind him into the forest. He  
  
turned, and stood there, grasping something in his hand.  
  
"What are you standing there for, Kunouku?" Tsumeku called, turning to look back at the boy. He held up his hand, and she squinted to see what he held within it.  
  
"N-no way! When did you get it? You aren't that fast!" she said, walking towards him. She snatched the object, revealing it to be a chain, which she  
  
clipped around her wrist.  
  
"It doesn't matter how I got it, it only matters that I managed to steal it from you. Come on, okaa will be worried if we were not present at dinner..." he said, looking at the setting sun.  
  
(Back at a large castle......)  
  
"Y-you kids are in soooo much trouble...." a small youkai panted, as he rushed up to them. They had just entered into the castle grounds via the gate, when a greying hiki-youkai confronted them.  
  
"Aww, Jakken-sama, we were just out training.... come on, don't give us any trouble, just because we were keeping in fighting shape..." Kunouku said, walking past Jakken without even a glance.  
  
"I agree, Jakken-sama, Otousan would me most displeased if we were not allowed to keep in top form..." Tsumeku added, following her companion towards the castle.  
  
Jakken sighed, once again reprimanding himself for not thinking up a quick comeback for their sarcastic remarks.  
  
'Age has not done me well...' he thought to himself, following the two ko-youkai up the front walk.  
  
(that is such a kawaiiiiiii word!!!! Ko-youkai, ko-youkai, ko- youkai....thud - a dryer lands nearby, after having hit her on the head owwwww.......itai.....who did that..? weakly mumbling insults hey, who is  
  
typing the actions..?!gets confused hey?!)  
  
Kunouku opened the door to the dinning hall, followed by a more timid Tsumeku. Brazenly, he approached the table, where Sesshoumaru sat at the head. Rin, his mate, sat to his right, and two seats were empty on either side. Kunouku took his seat adjacent to the Tai-youkai, while Tsumeku sat next to Rin.  
  
"Well, you two, I am supposing you had fun out there, making us wait for the meal to be served..." Rin said, smiling at Kunouku. She looked to Tsumeku, who had a slight blush on her face.  
  
"We were only out practicing, mother, as father wishes us to do." Kunouku replied bluntly, glancing at Sesshoumaru out of the corner of his eye. Sesshoumaru glanced back, making both of them smile.  
  
"Well, they are back. So, the objective now is to actually eat. So, let us commence." Sesshoumaru said, addressing everyone seated.  
  
"Okaa?" Tsumeku asked, looking at her mother.  
  
"What is it?" Rin replied, looking at her daughter intently.  
  
(yeah, a lot of things happenin' here....is hit by a kitchen sink - I was wondering... where I put that....blacks out) ............................................................................  
  
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(wakes up again Back to typing... dodges a lawnmower)  
  
"When Kunouku and I are old enough, will we get to go out and patrol the lands as father does?" she said, turning to look at her mother.  
  
"That is for your father to decide, not I." she replied, looking at  
  
Sesshoumaru. "Well, what do you think?" she continued.  
  
"I think they are probably ready now, if only they could return in time for dinner just once..." he said, eyeing Kunouku with a smirk.  
  
"We can discuss it tomorrow, that is when I leave next." he said, standing up.  
  
"Aw, why does she have to go? Tsumeku isn't nearly as adept at fighting in close range as I am, she wouldn't stand a chance!" Kunouku complained, glaring at his twin sister.  
  
"Them why is it that I defeat you when we spar here at the castle?" she replied tartly. A blush rose on his cheeks, but he quickly shooed it away.  
  
"Why don't we just prove that in a match, right now?" he said, standing up in his seat.  
  
"Fine with me, let's go." she said, heading out of the hall.  
  
"Those two will never finish a meal without fighting, will they?" Rin said, eyes twinkling.  
  
"Do you ever expect them to?" Sesshoumaru replied, following the two down the hall, listening to them argue the whole way.  
  
(In the sparring room)  
  
"You think you can defeat me this time, little brother?" Tsumeku said, eyeing the wakizashi at her brother's side carefully.  
  
"Yes, and I am only younger by ten minutes...." he mumbled, drawing the sword his sister watched.  
  
They lunged at each other, as their father entered the room. He watched them parry, dodging around the room. Chuckling, he watched Kunouku as he was slashed by his elder sister's claws, again and again. Her speed was superior, enabling her to back off when he retaliated.  
  
Finally, Tsumeku stopped moving. Kunouku kneeled on the floor, panting, his wounds already healed.  
  
"Well, I think I would trust your sister more to assist me on a patrol..." Sesshoumaru said, walking up to the twins.  
  
"Man.... how come she gets to be the one who always wins..." he muttered, glaring at Tsumeku.  
  
Overhearing, she laughed at him. "It is because I have speed as well as attacking skill, whereas you only have strength... you need both, to be a good warrior.... maybe you should exercise those scrawny legs of your more..." she said, walking out of the room.  
  
Sighing, he got up, and followed her out.  
  
"She's right, you know..." Sesshoumaru said, giving him a glance as he walked past.  
  
As he walked into his room, Kunouku grumpily threw his wakizashi at the wall.  
  
"How come I cannot have a powerful sword, like my father? I'll bet that if I had an enchanted sword, I could beat Tsumeku easily..." he complained,  
  
flopping down on his futon.  
  
"If I were the only child, I would be the center of father's attention, and I would probably have a powerful sword... not the dumb ningen wakizashi I have..." he muttered, falling asleep as he spoke.  
  
A light flittered near him, as he spoke those last words. Without a  
  
sound, it went through the walls, coming upon Tsumeku. With a cry, she turned, disappearing in a burst of light.  
  
"Huh?!" Kunouku said, sitting up in his futon. It was pitch dark, he noticed, and he calmed down. Covered in sweat, he put his hands into his face, breathing heavily.  
  
"Kunouku? What is the matter?" Rin said, coming into his room.  
  
"N-nothing.... just a bad dream..." he stuttered, laying back down.  
  
"Okay, then... try to get some sleep, Sesshoumaru leaves early in the morning for patrol... you will need to get up early, to be ready." She said, closing the door.  
  
"What happened?" he whispered, in the darkness. He remembered the dream, as he relaxed. Tsumeku had been playing in the forest, and he had come up to her, telling her that he wished her gone. She had cried out, surrounded in a strange light, and vanished.  
  
"But that is just a dream, she is fine.." he reassured himself, rolling over to go back to sleep.  
  
What he did not realize, is that he hadn't had a dream. He had received his twin sister's last moments, as all memories of her vanished from the world.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
(in a village, far away)  
  
"Hey, look!" a man called, coming up to a nearby river.  
  
"Is that a person?" a second answered, coming to see what was going on.  
  
"It's a youkai....is it dead?" a third said, prodding it with a stick. It moaned, sending them all away screaming.  
  
"Who... am I...?" she said, standing up. She looked down at herself, pale hair falling in front of her face. Rags adorned her scrawny figure, and cuts and bruises covered her arms and legs. She was cold and wet, from floating in the river.  
  
"I must be... a servant... judging by my attire...." she sighed, gathering up her strength. She took in the air, and noticed the scent of a human village, not too far away.  
  
"Maybe... they can tell me who... I am..." she said, slowly trudging through the brush.  
  
Little did she know, that this was the same village that the three men had fled to, and they were informing the inhabitants of a blood-thirsty youkai near the river, who had almost killed them. This village, by chance, was a village of taijiya, youkai exterminators.  
  
This new colony had formed shortly after the fabled Shikon no Tama was completed, and was rumored to have been started by a taijiya and a houshi, who has assisted in the completion of the jewel. More than a decade had since past, though, and the first people of the village had mysteriously disappeared, rumored to have fled into the future with a girl from the future, and a hanyou. But, such myths were not generally well taken in those times, and were not widely believed. Only the eldest of villagers believed the now, and they were slowly dying out, while younger generations scoffed at their elder's tales.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Note - this story has been revised  
  
ja...  
  
Riinuka, signing off.  
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((everyone will review, right?)) 


	5. finally, the sequel!

Note - this chapter has been revised. See the footnote at the end of chapter 8 for more details   
  
Chapter 5 - Memory Plight  
  
"The youkai is this way!" one man said, leading a group of taijiya through the forest. He had claimed that Tsumeku was a vicious youkai, coming to claim them all for food.  
  
Tsumeku heard rustling in the bushes, and stopped. She saw two people step out, both dressed in traditional taijiya attire. She walked towards them, wanting to ask where the village was, and stopped short.  
  
One of them held up a bow made of a large, flexible bone, and had notched an arrow covered in youkai poison, aimed straight at Tsumeku. The other had drawn a wakizashi, and stepped into a fighting stance. The sword blade glimmered in her eyes, blinding her partially. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
By this time, dawn was fast approaching, and Kunouku was about to leave on patrol. He found his father, Sesshoumaru, waiting in his study.  
  
"Father? Do you not think that we should wake Tsumeku? It is almost time to depart..." he said, noticing his sister was not present.  
  
"Tsumeku? I do not know of any... oh, yes. You must not have heard, she was let off a few hours ago, we had no more use for her." he replied, eyeing his son.  
  
"Huh? Let off? But, why would you do that?" Kunouku said, stunned at what his father had just said.  
  
"Well, her ability to work as a servant was no longer enough to fit our needs. She was just getting too weak to handle the jobs assigned." Sesshoumaru said, by now thoroughly confused at his son's inquiry.  
  
'Why... Tsumeku isn't... a servant..." Kunouku thought, staring open-mouthed as he followed his father out of the room. He dropped by his bedroom, and grabbed his wakizashi. Looking down at it, he grimaced, remembering that he had not cleaned the blood off it from last night's spar. He had managed to hit his sister once, dirtying the blade.  
  
He unsheathed the sword, and stopped dead in his tracks. There was not one trace of his twin's blood staining the blade, no matter how many times he turned it to look.  
  
"Oh, Kami-sama...." he gasped, remembering the dream from the night  
  
before.  
  
"It wasn't... a dream... Tsumeku is really.... gone..." he said, staring at the wakizashi in his hands.  
  
"Kunouku! What is taking so long?" his father said from outside the  
  
door, making Kunouku scramble to sheathe the sword.  
  
"Coming, Father." he said, hurrying out the door. He saw Rin, his mother, on the way down the hall, and gave her a brief hug.  
  
"Bye Kunouku..." she said, embracing him warmly. "I know that no youkai will beat my little strong one.." she said, tousling his hair.  
  
'So... Okaasan doesn't know about her anymore, either...?' he wondered, watching his mother walk down the hall. He solemnly followed his father out of the front gates, and mounted Ah-Un, the family's pet horse-dragon.  
  
(I think that is what it is...)  
  
Sesshoumaru sped below, just in front of his son, thinking quietly to himself. 'Why does my son care so much about a measly servant girl? Could he have gotten attached while she was in our service?" he wondered, as he headed for the Eastern border. Something picked at his mind, a memory of some sort, but he could not recall it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Kyaaa!" Tsumeku gasped, as an arrow barely missed her face. A thin line of blood formed across her cheek, where it had skimmed past.  
  
"Why do you attack our village, murderous youkai!?" the taijiya holding the bow said, notching another one to fire.  
  
"I-I don't know what you are talking about, I haven't even been here before!" Tsumeku replied, shaking heavily.  
  
"You lie! Some of our villagers said that you attacked them, and tried to kill them!" the other taijiya said, sticking the sword out at her.  
  
"I don't even know how to fight... I don't even know who I am... could you tell me?" she pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"You don't know how to fight? Then why did our kin say you attacked?" he asked, suspiciously. At this, the three men who had run from her started to look nervous, their little exaggeration being exposed.  
  
One taijiya turned to them, and interrogated them, while the other kept watch on Tsumeku. She had begun to shiver violently, mainly because she was wet from the river.  
  
"You say you did not attack these men?" the first one said, turning back around.  
  
"Yes... I wouldn't do so, even if I could fight..." Tsumeku said, putting her arms around herself to keep warm.  
  
"Well, then, sorry for the inconvenience...we are going to leave you alone now.." he said, glaring at the three men.  
  
"H-hey, wait.. could I come with you?" she said, teeth chattering. "It is cold out, and I am drenched..."  
  
"Don't push it, youkai, we have already been lenient with you..." he said, turning to leave.  
  
She sighed, watching the group leave. She looked up, and saw a bright silver flash streak across the sky, just above the treetops. A ryuu-youkai followed, carrying a young man.  
  
She watched as they disappeared from sight, wondering why they seemed so familiar to her. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"There is a weak youkai below us... but, not strong enough to bother with..." Sesshoumaru called back to his son, having just flown over Tsumeku.  
  
Kunouku hadn't even detected the youki from it, nor seen it as he had scanned the forest.  
  
They came over a ridge, and landed in a clearing. Tethering Ah-Un to a tree, Kunouku removed a saddle-pack from the beast's side, and began to take out some food.  
  
They ate in silence, neither had come across any formidable threats in their patrol.  
  
Kunouku looked at his surroundings, wondering what his sister would have thought of the clearing. There were orchids strewn across a meadow, his sister's favorite flower...  
  
"Or, used to be...." he said, chewing on a piece of meat.  
  
"What was that, Kunouku? I didn't quite hear what you said..." Sesshoumaru said, coming over to join his son.  
  
"It was nothing... I was just thinking aloud..." he mumbled, ripping off another hunk of meat. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsumeku made her way through the brush, intent on finding the ones who had flown over her. Maybe they could help her figure who she was, or tell her where she could go to rest. She saw a leather bag on the ground, and picked it up. Emptying its contents into her hand, she discovered some coins, and a few herbs.  
  
"Enough to buy me some food and lodging... and I could sell this..." she said, fingering the herb. She walked towards the hill, in silence.  
  
"I wonder where they went.... I think it was over that hill over there.." she said to herself, looking around.  
She stopped for a while, tired from her journey. Taking out the leather pouch, she went over to some nearby berry bushes, picking some to drop into the bag. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Come on, we still have a great portion of the lands to patrol." Sesshoumaru said, swallowing a last minute bite of meat.  
  
"Yeah, I'm coming..." Kunouku said, picking up his wakizashi. He remounted Ah-Un, and they took off.  
  
Tsumeku looked up, gasping, as the ones she was following took off. She frantically popped a few berries into her mouth, and ran after them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
I again apologize for the lack of updates for this and my other stories. The long version of things is at the header and footer of chapter 5. Otherwise... I just didn't have much time until summer break started to do the things I wanted to.  
  
Ja ne... Riinuka, signing off. Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((you will review, huh?)) 


	6. next chappie

Note - this chapter has bee revised. For a longer explanation, go to the header and footer of chapter 8.   
  
Chapter 6 - Kanna?  
  
Tsumeku followed her family for as long as she could, but exhaustion eventually subdued her. She collapsed on the ground, near the far border of the Western Lands. She looked up, watching her brother fade into the distance.  
  
"Why...why can't I keep up? I don't even know them.... why did I follow..." she sobbed, drawing her knees to her chest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----  
A pile of rocks obscured the entrance of a castle, near the place where Mt. Hakurei once stood. Inside, a kaze-youkai carried a bowl to a figure laying on a futon, and knelt down next to him.  
  
She began to cry, as she stroked his pale face. Her master had been  
  
unconscious for so long, she had nowhere to go.  
  
Kagura gently lifted Naraku's head, tipping some soup into his mouth. She had hated him, some time long ago, but that had changed. A devastating battle had occurred, rendering him severely wounded, almost dead. She had been rebellious, but that had only been the effect of being young. When her master had fallen, she had cried out, throwing herself in front of him, as that hanyou had come at him, so she could protect him.  
  
At the memory of Inuyasha, she bit down hard on her lip. Lifting her master into her lap, she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his unruly hair. She had never learned what had become of her elder sister, Kanna, only that she had never been seen after that battle. She had no one else left, Naraku was the only thing she could hold on to. She kept him barely alive, day after day, hoping that he would soon awaken, and she could see him once more.  
  
She rested his head back onto the futon where he lay, and stood up. Her frayed kimono swept around her feet, as she weakly walked over to the large pile of rocks barricading the door. She began to move each one, her fan being too weak to move them with wind. Almost all of Mt. Hakurei had collapsed in front of the fortress, locking them in. She had worked for almost three decades, desperately removing each boulder, one at a time, nearing the brink of insanity.  
  
Naraku's breathing increased, and she rushed to him. Fearing the worst, she hastily lifted him, holding him tightly.  
  
"Please...do not give up... I will have nothing...what purpose will  
  
there be if you die..?" she whimpered, as he coughed.  
  
He moved slightly, and she froze. It was just an illusion...wasn't it?! He moved again, lifting a hand slightly. She looked in shock, as his head rose.  
  
"Where...a.." he whispered, his voice barely audible. She cried out, and rose a hand to his face, lifting it up. He stared in confusion, looking at her tear-stained face.  
  
"What are.. you crying for?" he asked, his voice becoming stronger. She moved her mouth, but couldn't say anything. She lowered her head, and began to cry again, a line of apologies streaming out of her mouth.  
  
"Kagura, stop. I get the idea. Now, where are we? How long...have I been asleep?" he said, looking around at the dust infested room.  
  
"You... you have been unconscious...for..." she began, tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
"Yes? How long?" he repeated, looking at her strangely. This was not how he remembered her, she had been reluctant to do anything he asked of her, even answering his questions.  
  
"For..almost 30 years..." she said softly, looking down. Her kimono was faded, and her hair had become lose shortly after. It reached down to right  
  
above her knees, a tangled mane reminiscent to his own. The feathers, along with her fan, where inside a box in corner, to be kept safe.  
  
He looked alarmed, but then his expression hardened. He looked at her, noticing that her frame was as thin as a child's. Scars covered her frail body, and her eyes looked tired, empty. They reminded him of... Kanna's.  
  
"Where is Kanna? Has she passed on?" he said, looking around for signs of the utsuro-youkai. He saw a white obi, laying on top of a grave marker, in a darkened corner.  
  
"I do not know... she disappeared, right after the battle. I feared her dead..." she replied, when she noticed him looking at the marker.  
  
"Then, why did you stay? You had no reason to tend to me, after I could no longer order you. What made you decide to stay here?" he asked, quietly.  
  
"I-I wanted to... no, I needed to. Kanna is gone... you were the only reason, the main purpose that I was alive. If you had died because of my neglect... then there would have been no purpose for me in this world. What  
  
would I...have done?" she said, staring at the ground.  
  
"Kagura...I think it is time I told you something. You believe that you were created from me, correct?" he asked, tipping her head up so she was looking at him.  
  
"Yes, Naraku, but what are you getting at?" she replied, confused.  
  
"Well, that is not entirely true. You see, you were an orphaned youkai, without any purpose. You were abandoned, shunned by the villages you lived near. I took your painful memories, and expelled them. I placed a scar like my own on my back, and created a link to your heart, so that I could control you. You were never a part of me...I merely gave you that illusion...." he told her, watching as her expression went from shock to sadness.  
  
"Then... how...I-I.." she stuttered, shaking her head.  
  
"The only reason I felt the need to do this, was that you seemed rebellious towards me. You were unruly...if you had found out that you were not of me, and that killing me would result in your own death, I feared that you would indeed turn on me. But, bringing to light the past years when you cared for me...I realize that this was the wrong course of action..." he continued, an unreadable look on his face.  
  
She stared, open-mouthed, at the hanyou. How...could he have kept something from her...so...important... But, inside the deepest parts of her  
  
mind, she knew all along. The one thing that had kept her here...she realized, was one thing. She realized, that she did...maybe she did love him...  
  
"I am sorry, Kagura, for no trusting you with something that would have been so much better if you had known it." he said, getting up.  
  
"Go, now...I know that you wish to be free...I have inhibited you too long, Kagura..." he whispered, walking over to a dust covered box. He opened it, and took out a round, red object.  
  
"My..heart..." she stammered, thinking that he would destroy it, sending her away from this world. "Naraku, please...no..." she said, lowering her head to her knees.  
  
She sat there, shivering, expecting any moment to be snuffed out, like a useless candle. Instead, she went rigid, as an arm went around her shoulders.  
  
"Kagura..." he said, holding his hand out. He gave the heart to her, closing her hands around it. Standing up, he went over to the grave marker, and set a similar object on top. He piled some dirt from under the broken tatami, covering the heart completely.  
  
Kagura sat there, shaking, looking at the object in her hands. She looked up at her master, as he looked at her with curiosity now.  
  
"I-I can't....leave..." she whispered, tears forming again. "I couldn't....not after..." she said, standing up. Her thin form struggled, walking towards him with shaky steps.  
  
"Kagura... you..." Naraku said in alarm, watching as she dropped the heart. She faltered, falling to the ground, succumbing to poor care, and the anxiety of being alone and scared.  
  
He caught her, and set her down on the futon he had been laying on a few minutes before. Getting a closer look of her ragged form, he saw that she had not eaten in days, maybe even weeks. Yet, he felt fine, she had probably given him all the food she had the strength to prepare. He saw the dried vegetables, in a corner, a small pile that was sitting next to a fire pit. A stream of water ran through the room, coming through a break in the floor, from a courtyard  
  
stream most likely.  
  
"Why...have you gone to such measures to keep me alive.. when you yourself are close to death?" he asked her, Moving her head to face him.  
  
"I..I don't know..." she whispered, falling asleep. He picked her up, and held her, like she had him, as she drifted off into a deep sleep. As soon as he deemed it safe enough to put her down without awakening her, he retrieved the dropped heart. Lowering her kimono sleeve, he pressed the tissue to her skin, watching as it was absorbed. She shivered under his touch, and he quickly replaced the sleeve, watching as she rolled over.  
  
He lay next to her, and moved her head so that it rested on his shoulder. He fell asleep, content with the fact that someone could once again care for him, with no selfish intent, as the miko had done so long ago. But, now, it was different. No one was there to get in the way, no one would separate them. As soon as he got his strength back, he promised himself that he would get them safely out of that castle, away from the retched place where he had almost lost something that he hadn't even known was important.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------  
  
Back in the forest, near Mt. Hakurei...  
  
Tsumeku walked through the forest, dusk fast approaching. She saw a  
  
crumbled mountain in the distance, with what looked like a castle gate half  
  
buried. She rushed towards it, sensing two beings within the great walls.  
  
Coming to the large gate, she found that the entrance was completely obscured by rubble and debris. She examined the large mound, and found a small opening, near the bottom. Crawling on her hands and knees, she wound through tunnel after tunnel, going deeper into the buried grounds.  
  
She came upon an opening, which appeared to lead into a room. She came to a shoji, and peered through it. She saw two figures, both laying down, and figured that they were asleep. She gently tore the shoji, and stepped through. A hanyou with long, wild hair sat up, and eyed her. His face went from confusion to surprise, as he took in her pale hair, and dark eyes.  
  
"Kanna..?" he said, weakly standing up. The other figure opened her  
  
eyes, and looked at Tsumeku in disbelief.  
  
"Ane...ue?" she said, looking just as surprised as the hanyou.  
  
"I... do you know me...? Who I am..?" Tsumeku, said, looking at them anxiously. Her search had ended, maybe...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hn...nothing to say here.  
  
Ja...  
  
Riinuka, signing off.  
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((everyone will review, right?)) 


	7. The story of Naraku and Kagura, and what...

Note - See the following chapter for information about the revising of this story, if you already haven't.   
  
Chapter 7 - A new enemy  
  
Kunouku and Sesshoumaru landed in a clearing, right near the northeast border of the lands. Kunouku was getting quite bored, as there had been no chances to show off his fighting skills. Hardly any threats had arisen, and the few rebels that threatened once in a while seemed to be keeping low.  
  
He was beginning to see through his earlier hype he had made about the patrol, now regretting coming at all. He wondered if it would have been less boring if his sister had been there with him. He gazed out to the stars at the thought, as night fell on the second day away from home. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsumeku sat next to Kagura, tending to some of her more recent wounds. In moving the rubble from the entrance with her own strength, some rocks would collapse on her once in as while.  
  
Naraku sat off to the side, watching the quite girl work. He wondered if it really was Kanna, it had been so long since he had seen her, he could not remember. But...this youkai...she had youki that could be sensed, and if he  
  
remember right, Kanna had not possessed any such youki. She had been empty. It plagued his mind, as he kept his watch on Tsumeku.  
  
Kagura began to wake up, and looked into the younger girl's face. 'Did not my sister...my ane-ue have....empty eyes? The eyes of this girl....sad they are, but they still appear to hold emotion.' She held the same thoughts as Naraku, but quickly dismissed them. Even if it was not Kanna, she could stay. It would be nice... to have someone else here once again. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Back at home, Rin was busy preparing the castle for her family's return. The patrol of the lands would be over tomorrow, and they were expected back in the evening.  
  
Standing on tiptoe to reach a window's top shoji cover, she heard frantic footsteps coming down the hall. Jakken ran up to her, stopping to catch his breathe when he got there.  
  
"Mi'-milady, there seems to be...a danger...to the castle...I feel that it is best...to get you to the fighting chambers...they are the safest place in the compound." he panted, turning to head back down the hall.  
  
A large tremor shook the fortress, sending Jakken flying, and Rin stumbling down the hall. Servants coming from their quarters at the opposite end of the hall poured out of their rooms, heading to the training room.  
  
A passing youkai helped Rin up, and took her by the hand to the room, as another tremor shook them all. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Come on, all waves hit again! We have to bring down this fortress!" a youkai said, stepping out onto a ledge above the castle. Below him, youkai,  
  
hanyou, and humans all stood on ledges, assorted by method of attack.  
  
"Archers! At ready...fire!" he called, sending a fury of arrows screaming at the walls. Youkai guards that had gathered on the walls retaliated, as some of theirs were shot down.  
  
"Aerial assault...prepare your attack!" he shouted, turning to a group of bat youkai on the highest of ledges. On his command, they leapt off, carrying javelins and spears, and dive-bombed the defense.  
  
"You will fall, Lord Sesshoumaru...and then, my dearest cousin, I shall take what you stole from my family." The youkai turned to another level of attackers, commanding them to unleash a rain of burning arrows, his navy haori swirling around his arms.  
  
He leaped down the levels, and ascended the mountain nearest the castle, to where a group of snipers lay waiting. He took up a bow, silver hair whipping around in a low tie. He stood, the snipers rising with him, and strung a poison tipped arrow to the bowstring. He let it lose, the others following, picking off the retaliating assault from the guard of the castle.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open, as a ryuu-youkai landed in the clearing. He recognized it as a guard from the castle, and approached him.  
  
The dragon youkai's wings were torn almost to shreds, and he had wounds on his arms and torso.  
  
"S-Sesshoumaru-sama.. An assault, at the fortress.....started an hour ago..." he panted, clutching one arm that had a particularly large gash.  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at him, then turned to Kunouku, who had just woken up. "We are leaving immediately. Grab your things, mount Ah-Un. There is something happening back at home." he said, rousing Ah-Un from his sleep. The horse-dragons shook the manes on both of their heads, giving their master a  
  
questioning stare. Sesshoumaru gave the youkai a quick stroke, and lifted the saddle onto their back.  
  
"Get on. We are leaving now." Sesshoumaru said to Kunouku, motioning for him to help the wounded guard. They took off, heading back to the fortress,  
  
Sesshoumaru's youki leaving a crimson trail blazed into the late night sky,  
  
mixing with occasional bursts of blue fire from Ah and Un. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsumeku stood up, as she lay the last of the bandages on Kagura's injuries. She walked over to the broken shoji, about which she had informed  
  
them. Crawling through the tunnel once again, she stepped into the early morning sunlight that was slowly creeping over the eastern sky. She turned, and saw  
  
Naraku emerging with Kagura, supporting her by the waist. They walked in silence, heading for a place unknown. The grey sky cast their shadows far off, as they disappeared into the forests around the remnants of Mt. Hakurei. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Rin huddled against the others in the battle room, barricaded off from the rest of the castle. Beams of light began to filter through the small shoji that lined the top of the walls. Morning was coming, and it did not appear that the battle would stop anytime soon. Servants that were guarding the door were picked off, as snipers shot at their outline through the shoji. As more went to barricade it, more were shot. An arrow came screaming in through one of the  
  
shoji at the top, sending them all scattering. It soldered, from the flame that is had been lit with, and burned away at the tatami floor. A small bag was attached to it, and caught fire when the flame touched it. A large cloud of  
  
green smoke burst through the crowd, the ones nearest to its source falling to their knees. Rin covered her face with her sleeve, but slowly gave in to the darkness that was claiming them all. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"We have the rest of the castle occupied! All that is left is the training quarters! The ones hiding inside have been hit with a sleeping powder, but there may still be resistance. I want you all to surround the complex, and take caution. On my command, we rush the building!"  
  
The ranks of the rebel army took action at their leader's words, forming a broad circle around the battle compound. They readied their weapons, and took stance.  
  
The youkai white hair, standing atop one of the buildings, turned to the east. In the rising sun, there was an outline of a dragon flying in the air, lead by someone utilizing a shroud of youki.  
  
"So nice of you to join us, cousin! You are just in time to hand over your title formally!" he said dryly, smirking as a shocked Sesshoumaru set foot inside the grounds.  
  
"What have you done here, Fukumaru?!" Sesshoumaru spat, taking in the scene before him. The palace lay in shambles, almost all the buildings held  
  
great gaps, and most were now on fire. "How dare you attack this place! What motive did you have for such a deed, iotoko?!" he added, glaring in fury at  
  
his cousin.  
  
"Why, I am simply gaining back what is mine by heritage, dear Sesshoumaru-kun." he replied, putting an extra bite into the suffix.  
  
((In Japan, that could be used as a sign that you look down upon, spite someone. I decided to use it there. Its like saying, "little boy", or something similar to that.))  
  
Sesshoumaru snapped his head up, eyes leering crimson at his cousin. He drew the Tokijin, and prepared to strike Fukumaru.  
  
"I do not think that would be wise, Sesshoumaru..." Fukumaru said coolly, motioning for a bat youkai to fly onto the roof where they were standing.  
  
"Sesshoumaru...I did not think that you were capable...of obtaining a mate." he continued, as the bat's wings opened to reveal a semi-conscious Rin. He took her by the hand, and had her stand next to him.  
  
"Kimi.....wa shiseiji.......owaru!" he snarled back, raising Tokijin up above his head. He rushed them, then side-stepped suddenly, grabbing Rin by the wrist.  
  
((You...bastard...DIE!! or, 'cease to exist'))  
  
He leaped back, to where Ah-Un and Kunouku were standing rigidly. He turned to his son, speaking quickly under his breath.  
  
"Kunouku...take your okaa, and get her out of her. Have the guard take you to 'the youkai council'. He will know what you mean." he said, lifting Rin onto the dragons' back.  
  
"You think that there is any place that is safe? If I am not mistaken, isn't that your heir, Sesshoumaru?" Fukumaru sneered, looking at Kunouku. He looked back to the tai-youkai, smirking with silent laughter.  
  
"You know.. Once I dispose of you....that he is next." he finished,  
  
looking down at his ranks.  
  
Youkai, hanyou, and ningen looked back up, resentment for the Lord of the West showing in their hungry eyes.  
  
Ah-Un took off, Kunouku urging the beast to fly far upwards. Fukumaru hailed the archers and aerial brigade to attack, but the dragons' fire and Kunouku's weak dokkassou attack managed to keep them all safe.  
  
Sesshoumaru watched his son leave, and turned back to his assailant. "Get away from this place. Now." he said quietly, eyes completely blood red.  
  
"Oh my, this is a change. A century back, you would have not hesitated to kill me, cousin. Has something...softened you?" he chuckled, watching the look on Sesshoumaru's face go from anger to pure loathing.  
  
"Nothing has changed. You had your chance!" he snarled, rushing at him. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Tsumeku ran about a clearing, enjoying the orchids strewn about the  
  
grasses. They had neared the Northern lands, and were heading for 'an important place' according to Naraku. The air was a little colder here, and they had gotten haori for themselves, to stay warm. Tsumeku, however, had chosen to get herself a happi instead, complaining that the haori was too confining.  
  
"Naraku.. Where are we going?" Kagura asked, when she had made sure that the girl was far enough away.  
  
"We are heading for the youkai council of the North. I wish to speak to them about 'past matters'." he replied, watching the excited Tsumeku sprawl in the flowers.  
  
They had both guesses by now that this girl was not Kanna, but they were reluctant to leave her behind, seeing that she had gotten them out of the castle. So, she was permitted to travel with them, until she decided to do otherwise.  
  
Tsumeku stood up, flowers falling out of her hair, and stared off into the west. A line of thin smoke ran up through the sky, outlining it with a crimson hue. Her eyes went blank, memories flitting just out of her grasp, but they disappeared as soon as they came into a hazy jumble in her head. Something told her, 'danger....something is wrong..' , and her instincts screamed a silent song. She couldn't understand, though, and reluctantly let them pass. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Oh my god. Super-chappie!!! I didn't even realize that I typed that much.... It is compensation for not updating my stories....  
  
Riinuka., signing off  
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((everyone will do a review, right?)) 


	8. the battle for control both sides wage w...

Notice: It was not my intention to leave updating my stories for six months. I have been very busy with school, and college prep courses. Sorry for all of this, I am also sure that no one who has ready my story before this shall be reading it again... Oh well... perhaps I will be able to find new readers. Important - I am using my laptop, which has only WordPad on it. It does not have another word processor. SO, my story updates may contain slight spelling mistakes here and there. I ask that you please disregard them.  
  
My mom has created an account, if you are interested, go visit this my mom. '  
  
Due to changes in my writing style, and changes made to the plot, all previous chapters have/will either been/be removed, edited, or combined. I will soon create a separate prequel under another story title. This particular story is really just 2 stories combined into one, so I feel that I need to revamp it. Thanks for your patience. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- Refresher:  
  
Kunouku is taking his mother to the Northern lands, to find this 'youkai council'. He is escaping a battle in which his father, Sesshoumaru, is fighting his cousin Fukumaru for the title of 'Lord of the Western Lands'.  
  
Meanwhile, Tsumeku is traveling with Kagura and Naraku. She is Kunouku's twin sister, and was recently affected by some strange spell in which her memories and impressions to others were erased.  
  
Chapter 8 - The Fight Continues  
  
Sesshoumaru pulled up his arm with Tokijin to block, just as Fukumaru came at him with a downswing of his own. His cousin had quickly drawn a sword after Sesshoumaru had attacked, launching an assault on the youkai lord.  
  
"I promise, Sesshoumaru, the Western Lands will be mine, as promised by my grandfather!" Fukumaru shouted, lashing at his brother again.  
  
"They were never yours in the first place. The Lord before my father entrusted them to his second son after your father went mad... agh!" Sesshoumaru shouted, cut off by a stab near his head that he had not blocked properly. He had managed to dodge, though, and quickly returned the shot.  
  
Fukumaru turned to his waiting ranks, calling orders as he fought. One by one, waves of enlisted youkai, hanyou, and humans all shot burning arrows into the fortress, scattering any survivors from the first round.  
  
Sesshoumaru looked up, as the fighting quarters went into flames. Lone guards put up a resistance, having been instructed to guard the valuables and scrolls in the library, but they too were quickly being shot down.  
  
He needed to think of something, but there were limited options for him to take at the moment. If he didn't act quickly, he would lose the battle.  
  
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Tsumeku wandered throughout the fields, enjoying the crisp day. It was autumn, and the wind was sending a nice chill over the hills. They had come a long way from Mt. Hakurei, and were far away from any disturbance. Once in a while, Tsumeku would get the feeling that Naraku and Kagura were wary around her, as if they didn't know her, but then they would go back to walking by themselves, talking quietly.  
  
"I know that girl from somewhere, she seems so familiar..." Kagura said, watching as Tsumeku caught up to them.  
  
"I know. I can't put my finger on it, but she reminds me of someone I knew..." Naraku replied, looking towards the sun in the west. It had been quiet for the last few days, as they traveled further north.  
  
'Hey, Kagura-san!" Tsumeku called, catching up to them to walk next to the pair.  
  
Kagura gave her a slight nod, looking out of the corner of her eye. "What is it?" she said, slowing down a bit.  
  
"I smell water. Can we go to the hot springs? I need to take a bath... come on!" Tsumeku said, eager to go. Kagura nodded, and the two went off in search of the springs.  
  
"Hn.. That girl reminds me of... Sesshoumaru, come to think of it.. She resembles him, but only in appearance..." Naraku said, out of earshot. He had wondered who the girl was, and why she had come in search for them. It had baffled both he and Kagura when the girl had told them she only knew her name, but they quickly discovered that she had a very jubilant personality.  
  
"I believe we shall see soon whether this youkai can fight. It would not be wise to have a weakling on our hands... even if it is Kanna." he murmured, finding rest under a tree for the while.  
  
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Kunouku pulled up on the reins, and let Ah-Un soar above the canopy of trees. They had been flying low, since Fukumaru sent an air brigade after them. He looked back, seeing only the colors of the setting sun to his left. Instead of flying straight north, he had staked out a more eastern path, coming over the mountains. He now looked off to the right, seeing a large forest out ahead of him. He urged the youkai low over the trees, before diving into a clearing.  
  
"Kunouku... why did you bring me here?" his mother said. Rin had been scouting the ground since they left, something had been telling her to look out for someone. She didn't quite know why, but for some reason she could not keep her eyes off the ground.  
  
"Mother.. we should rest here. There is a human village nearby, we can go there." Kunouku said, tethering Ah-Un to a large vine-covered tree. The dragon sniffed at the ground, seemingly recognizing the place. Kunouku looked at the tree curiously, tracing a hand over the shape of a body embedded in the bark. He turned and took his mother's hand, heading for the village.  
  
"Kunouku... what about your father? Should we not hasten to the northern lands, and alert the youkai council of this?" his mother asked, looking to the north yet again.  
  
Kunouku looked at his mother, wondering why she kept looking off. "No, it is too late. The distance is too far; we shall complete the journey tomorrow. With that, they left for the small gathering of houses, just beyond the forest's edge.  
  
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Fukumaru dove at the ground, narrowly missing Sesshoumaru. He growled, as the dirt sprayed in his face from the hit he dodged. Taking Tokijin, he slashed at his enemy's left arm, managing a deep gash right above the elbow. Immediately, blood rushed from the wound, and Fukumaru screamed in painful rage.  
  
"How...dare you!" he said, dropping the sword and clasping his arm. Sesshoumaru raised his sword for an attack, but paused when the enraged youkai raised his arm.  
  
"All ranks... cease fire! Pull an all men assault on the Lord!" He shouted, falling back as a swarm of fighters came at Sesshoumaru.  
  
Raising the sword again, Sesshoumaru conjured a cloud of youki, sending him into the air. The air assault came down, each diving for him, as he spiraled in the air. Archers took aim, shooting arrows by the second, each one on a path for the youkai lord's heart.  
  
Sheathing Tokijin, he resorted to hand combat. Plumes of green smoke and acid rose as he shot poison at any youkai who came near. His chest armor shattered at the left shoulder, spikes falling away as a heavy bat youkai slammed into him. As he stretched out his arm to throw him off, he was impaled by an arrow through his chest, above the line of his armor.  
  
The waves halted as the Lord of the Western Lands fell from the sky.  
  
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Tsumeku swam through the warm water, letting it flow through her hair. She rinsed the mud and grime out as she went through the water, letting the force of her strokes clean her. She came back to Kagura, who was lounging near the edge of the springs.  
  
She looked out to the west, seeing the sun sinking below the tree line. It filled the sky with beautiful orange and gold streaks, framing the mountains on either side. She took a deep breath, taking in the scent of the cherry blossoms fluttering from their branches near the spring.  
  
"Kagura... what is that on your back?" she said, noticing the scar on the woman's skin.  
  
"That.. " Kagura began, considering telling her of her service to Naraku. She sighed, looking down at the water.  
  
"That.. is nothing. Only a burn I received a long time ago." she finished, looking up towards the girl. The mark had been slowly fading; Naraku had decided to remove it from her. She was grateful of this.. to her, it showed his remorse for hiding the truth from her.  
  
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Well, that's all for now, people! I am glad to be back to the writing community that is FanFiction.net!!  
  
Note - Reviews accepted!! Also, I would like to say that I have finished my story "It's So Wrong". That will no longer receive updates. I shall, however edit it, along with all of my other fics. So, all of my stories will be revised over the next week or so.   
  
I am leaving on vacation on June 17th. I am unsure whether I will be allowed internet access during that time. I return on July 1st. So, I will keep you all updated on the progress of my stories, I may not be able to update during the time I am gone!  
  
Ja ne, minnnnna-san... '  
  
Anata wa hyouron shimashou ne? ((you will review, right?)) 


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